


in winter, you met him.

by cha_lan



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Apocalypse, Reader Insert, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28561440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cha_lan/pseuds/cha_lan
Summary: Set many years into the future, technology has turned against humankind. What originally was created to help hospital workers, the WINTER Spheres are now one-by-one eliminating life on Earth.Alternatively, you unexpectedly meet Seungkwan one winter day, but you are forever grateful to be a part of his life.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	in winter, you met him.

**Author's Note:**

> Genre: a bit of fluff, a bit of angst, a tad bit suggestive at the start, some attempts at humour(?), established relationship, post-apocalyptic!au.
> 
> Warnings: some making-out at the beginning, some joking about sex, swearing, fear/anxiety, slight superhuman!au(?), a strong overall theme of death, the loss of a limb (nothing gory; I never mention any blood), [slight spoiler- implied death of a dog (I’m so sorry)], major character death.
> 
> *originally posted to my tumblr on 201215

"Please, love," you sigh out between breaths, your head fuzzy with the way Seungkwan makes you feel.

The boy in question hums in response, barely removing his lips from your neck as he teases, "Please what, (Y/N)-ie?"

You guide his head back above yours, "I want to kiss you too, you know," you say lightly with a smile.

Seungkwan sighs out when his lips return in contact with yours, leaning into the hand you've cupped on his cheek, grazing your thumb across his cheekbone.

"How much time do we have before we need to head back?" The boy asks in between kisses, fiddling with the strap of your bra resting on your shoulder.

You giggle, "Eager now, are we, Kwannie?" Before you continue to answer, Seungkwan halts his movements and sits upright, his face losing all emotion.

With one hand still resting on your shoulder, he holds out his other, a finger lifted in the air as he listens. You know what that means: you're no longer alone.

You push down the panic steadily rising in your chest, opting instead to put your shirt back on and handing Seungkwan his that's fallen next to yours beneath the driver's seat.

"Is it–"

"I can't tell, but I don't think so. It sounds like it's walking, rummaging around. It couldn't be a Sphere," Seungkwan's acute hearing allows him to pinpoint the direction of the intruder.

It's unnerving having to leave your base camp, but necessary to gather more supplies for the group. You all make sure to never leave alone, often going in pairs into the city.

You and Seungkwan are on a usual trek into town from your shared base located more on the outskirts within the bordering forest. You were told by Seungcheol, the elected leader of your group of survivors, to search for medical equipment, cleaning supplies, and toiletries, while another pair would look for food and other perishables. You followed your usual route into the heart of the city with Minghao and Wheein in tow, splitting off into separate areas once reaching your destination. After successfully gathering what you were looking for, you and Seungkwan were granted some extra time to fool around a little bit before reuniting with the others and heading back into the stuffy shared space.

This is where you found yourselves now, sat in the backseat of an old, unusable car in the middle of a Target parking lot, or rather, what remains of a Target. Seungkwan had found an unopened and unexpired box of condoms left on one of the shelves in the store, holding it up for you to see with an amused grin decorating his features. Of course, the only logical thing to do would be to test one out, hence the making out in the back of the car. However, your session is unexpectedly cut short.

"Should we try to head back into the store or stay here in the car? Maybe lock the doors?" You aren't good at thinking on the fly in a time-sensitive situation, trusting Seungkwan's quick wit to help you both out.

"Wait, it's coming closer. Just stay down, it's okay," he says softly, opting to hold your hand for further reassurance.

You do as you're told and become as motionless as you can, taking slow breaths. Seungkwan keeps his eyes trained out the back window, scanning the parking lot for any signs of life.

Sure enough, the intruder shows itself.

"Hey, (Y/N), look at this," Seungkwan's expression has changed entirely, now sporting his usual sunny grin.

Curiosity gets the best of you and you sit up, mouth agape as you spot the culprit of what had frightened you both.

It was a medium-sized golden retriever, although looking mostly grey likely due to rolling around the dusty streets. Trotting around the permanently parked cars, she probably is in search of something to eat as she appears to be a bit underweight.

"No way," you murmur as Seungkwan chuckles, moving to open the car door.

The golden dog turns its attention to the two of you once you've now exited the vehicle, and doesn't hesitate to make its way closer, ready to introduce herself.

"So cute," the boy beams at the friendly animal, examining her collar for her name. "Nice to meet you, Eun. Where'd you come from?"

"I wish we were on food duty so we'd have something to offer her," you say as you crouch down to the dog's level, letting her nuzzle into your palm. "Do you think the others would let us take her home?"

Seungkwan opens his mouth to answer but stops himself as he hears the whirring of a machine, likely in one of the run-down, adjacent buildings."We have no choice, we need to go and I'm not leaving without her."

Sure enough, the icy-blue lighting can be spotted through the broken side of a building across the barren parking lot. You and Seungkwan need no further motivation to know to get as far away as possible.

"Eun, let's go!" Seungkwan says as he closes his bag and puts it on.

You grab your backpack with your gathered materials from the backseat of the car, making sure you're not leaving anything behind. Luckily, the WINTER Spheres aren't the fastest of machines, though are deadly if they're set on catching you. You begin to run back towards your base home, not worrying about silencing your footsteps; the Spheres cannot hear nor see in a traditional way, yet they can scan the area to sense who or what is around them.

You're faster than Seungkwan. Turning back to check on him, you see him further behind than you expected as he tries to get Eun to cooperate and follow him. The Sphere has made its presence known, now freely flying through the parking lot, and attracts the attention of Eun. The poor puppy can't know that this hovering machinery is capable of vaporizing a living being in an instant.

"Seungkwan, we need to go!" You cry out, ready to head back to his side to drag him away before he can run to the dog.

He looks back at you with a pleading expression, "We can't just leave her!"

"What if that thing is looking for us? We have a better chance of surviving if we're back at the base with the others. You know the risk."

The stubborn boy shakes his head and rushes back to the dog, coaxing her to get up and follow him back to you.

The WINTER Sphere lets out a ghastly shriek, indicating that it's close to its next target. Seungkwan freezes, now only a few meters away from it, his blood turns cold when the machine's cool-toned lighting changes to a blazing red.

"Get out of there, Seungkwan!"

After hearing the dreadful noise of the WINTER Sphere, Eun is just as ready to run as Seungkwan is, eagerly following the boy as he moves through the abandoned cars to reach your side again.

The Sphere is relentless, angrily following the boy and dog and steadily approaching.

"No, please don't let it be Seungkwan," you mutter to yourself out of earshot of the boy in question, forcing yourself to remain calm. You prepare your gun, knowing to only use it during emergencies, and take your aim at the flying machine. You make sure to stay out of its range, distancing yourself enough so it won't counter your attacks and make the situation worse. You know it's ineffective by yourself, but maybe, you consider, it will slow it down more so Seungkwan has a better chance of running back to safety.

Gunshots echo through the parking lot, bouncing between the old, towering buildings in the shopping square.

Seungkwan manages to reach your side, grabbing your arm so he can run the rest of the way with you. He looks back to find the dog only to see she's stopped running and is now barking at the WINTER Sphere, hovering lower to the ground now. Without any warning, the robotic voice resounds:

"Target number 909233, acquired–"

"No!" Seungkwan cries out, already turning on his heels and ready to reach out, but it's to no use. The machine has already fired leaving a pile of dust where the golden companion used to stand, her remains already drifting away in the cross breeze.

"Fuck."

The crimson glow from the WINTER Sphere returns to its cold blue as it starts to ascend and float away out of sight behind another building, off to another target.

You stand in silence for a moment for the new friend you lost much too soon. Seungkwan looks nothing less than heartbroken. You wish you could take away his pain.

You break the silence, "I'm so sorry, love, but we still need to go back. It could return and I don't want to take that risk."

Seungkwan nods, knowing not to argue about this. He first embraces you, not bothering to hide the few tears he's produced.

•

"Are you two okay?!" A frantic Seungcheol is quick to examine the two of you upon your return. You managed to meet up again with Minghao and Wheein on the journey back, them following you and Seungkwan closely behind as you make your way into the shared living space.

Joshua's forehead is creased with the same worry, "We heard the scream of a Sphere. I was praying it wasn't for any of you."

"No, no," you start, not removing your hand on Seungkwan's back, the poor boy still shaken up, "it was... we–we found a dog. In the parking lot."

"Oh," is all the eldest boy says before he's embracing Seungkwan. Seungcheol doesn't need to ask any further questions. "I'm so sorry," he whispers.

"I'm going to go take a shower. I just–I just need some time alone. Please."

You rub Seungkwan's back one last time to try to ease him, nodding at his request and ushering for him to go. He doesn't need to explain how shaken up he is.

•

You weren't always lucky enough to live in this safe place with running water and reasonable portions of food distributed. You were originally scavenging the barren town with another boy before he was terminated by a WINTER Sphere. Chan's number was 73810. While that had been just over a year ago, the memory of his number robotically announced followed by him turning into dust and blowing away with the breeze had been enough to scar you permanently. You have yet to witness another friend, other than the dog today, experience that same fate.

You managed to seek refuge alongside a bunch of unique individuals. Hoseok, one of the first ones you'd met, had deemed you worthy enough to stay. You later found out he's an empath, his ability allowing him to read your intentions and aura, both of which he found trusting enough.

Seungcheol, another of the first ones you encountered, appeared to be a makeshift leader of the steadily growing group. You aren't aware if he has any special abilities, if so he keeps it a secret. He is very patient and a deep thinker, often taking the initiative of solving what needs to be done and distributes tasks accordingly.

Joshua and Taehyung make an interesting duo. You learned early on that they are non-identical twins, the former being able to control fire, while the elder twin can bend water. You find it somewhat ironic since you've come to know Joshua as the more gentle, caring brother, compared to Taehyung who occasionally can be hot-headed, quite opposite to their bending abilities.

From what you've gained, Hwasa and Wheein seem to have spent much time together before finding this refuge. The elder of the two can shift her appearance for a limited amount of time, making you wonder if her usual state is her natural form or some sort of illusion. While Hwasa, on the other hand, has mild telekinesis powers. She practices her ability persistently to become stronger.

Junhui and Minghao both originated from China, the former having his DNA mixed with that of a feline, his temperament matching well with his cat-like appearance. He's the first hybrid you've met in person, previously only hearing about the testing being done. As for the younger boy, you swear Minghao has some sort of enhanced ability for hand-to-hand combat, even if he claims that he possesses no special ability.

Momo was quite unusual when you first met her, only to realize that the girl is actually a cyborg. With such a strong stigma surrounding any AI technology, since the Sphere invention has gone so awry, Momo was carefully studied by Hoseok to make sure she's not a threat, in a similar manner to you. Despite her occasional unusual tendencies in conversation, Momo is very much a person and not a robot, you've discovered. The empath has become quite fond of her.

And that leaves Seungkwan. Seungkwan was the newest arrival before you showed up two winters ago. He was travelling with his childhood friend and his dog. He was barely twenty when his friend was targeted by a WINTER Sphere, the two unable to fight off the machine; the result was lethal. A few months later, the same situation unfolded to his pet. The boy didn't see himself able to recover from the tragedies, wishing that it would be him instead. Yet, he met Seungcheol and Yoongi, two slightly older boys who took him in, even before Hoseok had the chance to analyze him.

Seungkwan was a much different person last year when you first encountered him. A bit scrawny looking from not eating properly and with dark circles colouring beneath his eyes, you could tell he was devoid, severely wounded from his past. He said you had a healing property about you, that somehow, he was relaxed by your presence. You didn't have the heart to tell him then that you aren't gifted with a special ability.

•

"That dog's number was 909233," you recall as you sit down with Seungcheol, Joshua, and Momo at the dining table, you all had just finished sorting the supplies gathered on today's excursion. Hoseok joins as he brings you a cup of warm tea. You thank the empath and continue, "What was the last number we heard? Was it in the 900000's?"

"No, I have it here," Momo retrieves a slip of paper with various numbers and dates scribbled on it, "741902. That was from about six months ago."

"Half a year and nearly two-hundred-thousand more people," Seungcheol pushes his bangs off his forehead, sighing, "I can't tell if the numbers are climbing faster lately or beginning to decline. I don't really want to know, it won't make much of a difference."

Joshua hums in agreement, sipping his tea that Hoseok had handed to him too.

"Hey!" Taehyung's loud voice is heard from across the house, "(Y/N)-ie, when were you going to tell us you and Seungkwannie found condoms today!"

You swear that boy has no filter.

"Oh god," you bury your head in your hands while the rest of the boys at the table begin to chuckle at the sudden change of topic. "I already forgot about those."

"Don't bring her into this," Seungkwan's voice is heard from inside the bathroom. You hadn't noticed the shower being shut off. The boy exits the bathroom and wades into the dining area, ruffling his damp hair, "But yes, we are all adults, so, therefore, it is normal to be supportive of practicing safe-sex."

This comment earns more laughter and Taehyung pats the younger one on the back, blatantly agreeing to his statement and adding, "I don't suppose you and (Y/N) happened to 'practice' while you were out today, hm?"

Now Seungkwan is as red as a tomato and regretting the hot shower he just took doing nothing to lower his temperature and the flush to his face.

You take this as your cue to stand from your spot at the table and save your boyfriend. "No, we didn't," you place a kiss on Seungkwan's shoulder as you embrace his side, "we're actually saving them to practice on your bed since we all know it's the comfiest in the house."

That does the trick to get Taehyung to shut up, not before he whines, "Gross! I didn't need to hear that," and walks off shaking his head.

This earns a giggle from Seungkwan, his rosy cheeks now sporting a smile as he kisses the top of your head; it's a small gesture of thanks for saving him from further embarrassment.

As the rest of the table crew return to their conversation, you speak softly to the boy in your arms, "How are you feeling?" You comb his damp locks through your fingers.

He closes his eyes at the feeling of your nails massaging his scalp, "I'll be okay. I'm better than I was when we first came home, but still a bit shaky. You know how to make me feel calmer, though," he turns in your arms to face you, "You always do," and leans down to place a gentle kiss to your forehead before hugging you properly, "thank you."

•

You didn't expect to gain a partner upon your arrival to this refuge. You had been anxious at the sudden inclusion into the group, taking a while to feel properly comfortable and at home in the space so new to you.

You'll never forget the day you found this house placed on the top of a hill, hidden away in the trees.

It had been mid-January last year when you showed up at the door, shivering uncontrollably from spending too many nights out in the brisk winter. Your clothes were frozen; a bit damp at your ankles, knees, and jacket sleeves, and doing nothing to keep you warm. You had spotted the rising smoke from afar, climbing the snowy hill with the hope that what awaited at the top would be some sort of refuge. Or at least a fire, a fire would be incredibly appreciated.

What you didn't expect was to be greeted by a boy around your age when you knocked on the door of the cabin. He was handsome, you'd give him that, but you weren't in your right mind and had been alone for far too long; his presence startled you. Yet, you were ushered indoors when a second face appeared, and taken straight to the fireplace.

You'd learned the boy who answered the door was Taehyung, the cabin belonging to his family, and the brunet was Hoseok.

The boys were kind enough, especially after seeing how freezing you were. Hoseok ran off to another room to fetch you some dry clothes and hung yours above the fire after you changed. The boy spoke to you, asking you some simple questions such as your name, where you came from, if you were alone. The more you spoke to him, the more fatigued you began to feel. Possibly due to the sudden warmth of the fire in front of you or the coziness of the oversized clothes, your head undoubtedly felt cloudier than usual. When Hoseok casually brought up that he's an empath, your senses suddenly became clear.

 _It was a mistake to come here_ , was all you could muster in your head. You'd never met an empath before, but you knew how powerful they were in the books you read in school about various abilities. This particular one was more uncommon nowadays. You were vulnerable enough in this desperate state of need, you didn't question either of the boy's intents when they invited you inside. Hoseok must have sensed your heightened panic as he attempted to calm you down with Taehyung trying to help too. They truly meant no harm, but they weren't able to convince you otherwise.

Jumping up from your spot on the floor, you grabbed your boots and dashed across the room and back to the front door.

"Woah, woah, woah. Hey, calm down. It's okay."

You were in such a panic that you ran right into someone just entering the home, a few others in tow behind him. You were now standing in the entry with five more strangers, three boys and two girls.

"What did you do this time, Kim Taehyung?" One of the girls said as she stepped past the others, approaching you.

"Hey! Why do you always assume it's me when something happens!"

"Come on, let's go back to the fire, you're still shivering. I'm Hwasa, by the way."

You felt slightly more comfortable now that you weren't the only female in the room anymore, giving in to Hwasa's direction and returning to the living room.

The other girl from the entrance, who you learned to be Wheein, took a seat with you on the floor along with a blanket she brought from another room.

"Thank you," you muttered timidly, "I'm sorry to intrude in your space here."

The girls dismissed your worry, instead insisting that you were welcome here. You were all experiencing a particularly cold snap outside, the least they could do was share the fire.

Some light conversation later, you began to feel a bit more comfortable around Wheein and Hwasa. Even Momo, another girl who lived in the cabin, had joined in sitting by the fire. A different boy had tried to stop by, even offering you a cup of tea both as a peace offering and to help warm you even more. You were hesitant to accept his offer after what happened with Hoseok and him playing with your mind, yet Hwasa had accepted the tea for you.

"Joshua's a good guy, you can trust him," she began, "Everyone here is actually quite kind. Even Taehyung, despite how loud he can get. Hoseok sometimes forgets how powerful he is, I promise he didn't mean to scare you."

You nodded your head and gingerly accepted the tea she held out for you.

You didn't expect to be invited to stay for dinner when you first showed up.

"Nonsense!" Seungcheol, the boy you collided with in the doorway, stated, "You look like you could use a proper meal. We have some soup we've been saving for a particularly cold day. And it's Seungkwannie's birthday too, some celebration soup sounds like a good idea."

You hadn't yet met the boy Seungcheol spoke about, but it made you feel like more of a burden knowing it happened to be someone's birthday on the day of your arrival.

By the time the cans of soup were heated up, you found yourself sat between Wheein and Joshua at a table with mismatched chairs and bowls. Two others briefly introduced themselves to you as Minghao and Jun as they sat down. Finally, the boy you supposed to be Seungkwan had entered the room.

"Oh, that's where my sweater went," was the first thing he had said to you.

You raised your head at the sound of his voice and began to apologize profusely, trying to convince him that you could return it right away; your clothes above the fire must be dry by now.

Seungkwan only chuckled, smiling when he said not to worry about it and took a seat across from you at the table.

You didn't expect to be invited to spend the night in your own bed when you knocked on the cabin's door earlier that day.

The girls showed you to their shared room with two bunk beds situated at opposite ends of the small space. The vacant spot above Momo had your name written on it, as the cyborg announced, sporting a beaming smile.

What you expected to be a temporary stay during the cold snap turned into a permanent place at the residence. Before you knew it, a month had passed and you were having another special soup dinner for Hoseok's birthday. Seungkwan had even let you keep his sweater; it was often your go-to choice to wear as it was much warmer than the simple clothes you showed up in.

It took a while for you to have a proper conversation with the youngest boy. Other than the plain, polite exchanges in the shared spaces, you didn't find to have much in common with Seungkwan other than the closeness in age. Yet, you found yourself opening your heart to him later that night. The snow had begun to gradually melt outside with the increasingly sunny days, the brutal winter was slowly coming to an end.

You were sat on the front porch of the house, your duvet wrapped around your figure to shelter you from the chilly February night. Seungkwan hadn't expected anyone else to be awake at this dead hour.

"Oh, sorry, I can go back inside if you want to be alone out here."

The boy shook his head and approached the edge of the porch where you were sat with your legs over the edge, "No, I don't mind," he said simply, gazing out into the dark forest ahead. What would've been the city below you was just an empty shape, devoid of all the lights that used to flourish at night. It had taken a while to become accustomed to a life without electricity, yet here you found yourself in this home with a generator used for cooking and heating water.

"You were rather quiet during dinner tonight," you began hesitantly, "is something on your mind?"

Seungkwan hummed, not turning his sight from the landscape. The moon illuminated his features; you could see the tip of his nose turning slightly pink from the cold.

"You're not implying that I'm normally loud, are you, (Y/N)?" The boy kept his tone light. After you denied his assumption, he continued more seriously, "No, it's actually my friend's birthday today too. He's not... with us anymore. This isn't the first year I've spent his birthday without him, but every year it doesn't seem to get easier when the date approaches. Hansol. I met him in elementary school and we quickly became best friends."

Your eyes remained focused on Seungkwan's features as he told his story. Examining the slight lift of his mouth as he recalled his friend, yet it was only fleeting.

You apologized for the loss of his best friend, shifting in your seat before sharing, "My childhood friend, Chan, he would've just had his birthday too. Just last week, actually." It was the first time you spoke about Chan aloud to anyone, the tears welling in your eyes surprised you. "I really miss him. It hasn't even been very long, but I really, really miss him."

Seungkwan removed his gaze from the landscape and faced you, shuffling closer and resting a hand on your blanketed back as you sniffled. You noticed his eyes were also glassy.

"I just wish there was something I could have done. It all happened so fast. Before I knew it, he was already gone," you whispered, leaning into Seungkwan's side. "Just dust."

You felt him nod, wiping his own tears away. You moved slightly to invite him into your blanket after calming your breaths. He shyly accepted your offer, wrapping his half around himself.

What began as a time-passer to lull you into fatigue eventually turned into an all-nighter of deep conversations and exposed heartstrings. After your tears were shed, you shared some laughter, all in the good company of Seungkwan–he even joked about being such a good listener due to his heightened hearing ability.

He had told you more about the group before you arrived, particularly about some of the individuals who were no longer there. Yoongi, for instance, was one who Seungkwan considered as an older brother. He would always look out for the younger ones, despite often coming across as cold or unbothered; he revealed his soft, caring side over time. There was also Seokmin, who got along well with Hoseok with their similar bubbly personalities. Despite being born free of a special ability, Seokmin always encouraged the others who did have one to not hide it away, as many of them had done before the boy's appearance in the group. Seokmin particularly took an interest in the twins' bending abilities. Lastly, there was Dahyun, who Seungkwan admitted he never got to know very well. She was a bit jumpy and easily frightened, and had the ability to teleport, although only to areas where she's been before. This backfired for her one day, as she happened to teleport into the radius of the WINTER Sphere that was trying to track her down.

Before you both knew it, the darkened sky began to change colour into a warm blend of oranges and yellows, painting the clouds and remaining snowbanks with a similar golden tone.

Speaking with Seungkwan that night helped you to remember to live in the moment; to be more present in your life. It was a simple sentiment that you often found yourself forgetting. Just because the world is at a stand-still doesn't mean you, too, have to be. That little notion of his pushed you enough to begin falling for him.

•

"How much longer before we can take a break?" You hear Junhui's voice whine from behind you.

The complaining feline-boy, Wheein, Taehyung, and yourself are situated in the reasonably-sized garden in the back property of the cabin. The last of the season's snow has melted, leaving the plots ready to begin planting. But first, the four of you need to prepare the soil. At the same time, Seungcheol, Hoseok, Momo, and Seungkwan have left for today's supply run into the city, while Hwasa, Joshua, and Minghao are working on deep-cleaning the house (a _spring cleaning_ , as the younger twin insists).

"We've only just begun, Jun," Wheein retorts, "quit complaining and pass me that shovel, please."

You busy yourself with pulling any remaining weeds that lasted beneath the snow while the boys till the earth and Wheein adds kitchen compost to the plots. When you all finish those tasks, you begin to plant various vegetable seeds in the freshly prepared soil.

The cabin the eleven of you reside in initially belonged to Taehyung and Joshua's grandparents. You learned that the boys grew up with a large, wealthy family who would occasionally gather in this cabin for little reunions from time to time, but also had the home for its bit of farmland to grow some produce during the permitting seasons. It certainly comes in handy when there are no longer running grocery stores; cans of soup saved only for birthdays can only last so long.

The sky is bright and blue today, the sun warming your hair and back as you work, contrasting with the subtle nip of the mid-March temperature. It's quiet here in the forest without the bustling sounds of the city; you almost forget what that used to sound like. Instead, it's the sound of the occasional breeze rustling the tree branches that you hear. That, and Jun's complaining.

While it originally didn't make sense to you that Taehyung was the twin with the water-bending ability, you now understand as you see the tall boy hydrate the soil with much more ease than any attempt you could give. It was him, not his brother, who took an interest as a child in learning how to garden from his grandmother; the knowledge certainly paying off now. You can't recall another time where you have seen Taehyung tend to something so delicately.

"Hey, guys, can you come here, please?"

The four of you hear Joshua's voice from around the side of the house, setting your tools down and making your way to the front.

"Holy shit."

You nearly run into Taehyung as the boy suddenly stops and swears, only to realize the cause of his surprise.

Resting on the ground is a WINTER Sphere, only a couple of metres away from the steps leading up the front porch. You've never seen the machine in its charging stage before. It's almost too human; sleeping before it can continue on its murderous journey.

"Do you think it's after one of us here? Why else would it come so far out of the city?" Minghao questions uncertainly, standing slightly behind Joshua with eyes fixated on the menacing globe on the floor.

"It's a possibility. I don't think we should try to move it, though," Joshua begins, "I once saw a man trying to attack a Sphere with a baseball bat at the beginning of all of this. The Sphere just shot him without any warning, not even announcing his number."

Jun fidgets with his hands nervously, trying to remove the dirt embedded beneath his nails, "Let's wait for Seungcheol and the others to come back and hear what they have to say."

A few of you hum in agreement.

"A couple of us should keep an eye on this thing to make sure that it doesn't wake up," Wheein adds and checks her watch, "They should be back in a couple of hours. Cheol doesn't like us staying out past sunset when we go into town so I doubt he'll do the same when it's him on supplies duty."

After Wheein and Minghao take the first watch over the Sphere, the rest of you return to your previous tasks.

Yet, you find yourselves anxiously waiting for their arrival on the porch steps when there's less than an hour left until sunset and no sign of the others. The WINTER Sphere remains lifeless in the same spot, only adding to your uneasiness.

Sure enough, just before the sun passes below the horizon, the figures of today's supply group are seen gradually approaching, visibly tired on the ascending driveway. Yet, Momo is seen carrying her bag along with an extra one.

"Hey, where's-" Junhui stops himself.

"Shit, don't tell me..." Hwasa stands from her chair on the porch.

You and Joshua step down the porch stairs to get a better look at the returning individuals, carefully passing by the motionless Sphere but stop when there's no evidence of the missing member trailing behind.

"How?" Joshua whispers, "We never heard the siren of a Sphere today."

There's an uncomfortable beat, followed by the empath's words, "We took a slightly different route today," Hoseok's tone is low, "the underground part of the strip mall was finally accessible after the melted snow, so we decided to check it out."

"There was a lot there," Momo continues, "mostly clothes, but we also found some unopened drinks in the food court. I can't remember the last time I had apple juice," her hand is clutched to a half-drank plastic bottle of juice. "But we came across something unusual-" her eyes land on the Sphere resting in the middle of her friends, "kind of like that. A group of Spheres, just on the floor. None of them had any lights on."

"There must have been at least a dozen. None of them flying, just de-motionless," Hoseok clears his throat.

"Can you please stop messing with my head, Hobi? I can't think properly," Seungkwan finally speaks, although rather quietly. His brows are furrowed.

You're rendered speechless. You suddenly wish you had gotten to know Seungcheol–the welcoming and generous boy–better.

"961549," Momo bitterly spits out.

It feels colder outside now. You're chilled so deeply, mild nausea creeps up and into your throat. You take a seat on the ground, head spinning with trying to process the loss of your friend; trying to process the lack of permanence that all of you possess.

"Look, it could have been anybody. It's no one's fault-"

"Joshua, please," Taehyung interjects, "for his sake stop. You don't have to take it upon yourself to always handle every situation. Even Seungcheol knew he couldn't fix everything."

Joshua does as he's told and lowers his gaze away from his brother.

The air is uncomfortably tense. Seungkwan crouches down to your level, taking a seat next to you. He wraps his arms around your huddled figure, gently rubbing small circles onto your back.

No one says much for the rest of that night. You all have a moment of silence for Seungcheol before heading indoors once the sun has gone down completely. The WINTER Sphere remains out front, a heavy reminder of the friend you lost today, along with those you've collectively lost since the beginning of this mess.

•

The WINTER Spheres: With the INtelligence to Treat Emergencies for Recovery. What were created for the intention of improved hospital service, the Spheres were initially a success for the industry. Although, the situation took a turn for the worse when a new update was sent out to all the devices. The reality quickly became the cliché of technology turning on humankind. The update included an increase in personal health profiles; everyone who filled out a survey was unknowingly associated with a number. The push for completing the WINTER survey became encouraged worldwide as it was advertised as the easy way to get a health check-up or a prescription refilled; even household pets could be given a profile. The Spheres began to be distributed globally, the technology approved for its addition to so powerfully help the medical field.

Now, the WINTER Spheres are targeting each person who is associated with a health profile, eliminating one-by-one in the order of the survey numbers. Professionals in the technology industry have tried to shut down the system, yet the Spheres' internal batteries prevent a complete loss of connection. The technology is self-sustaining. As long as they rest every once in a while they can fully operate by themselves. Major, wealthy cities dense in population numbers were the first to be under attack, especially since those were the ones who completed their health profiles first, other than the inventors behind the Spheres.

•

Your chest feels heavy as you wake. Remembering the Sphere resting in the front yard, you speedily climb down from your bunk bed, making your way through the quiet house to check on the machine.

"Hey," you hear Seungkwan's voice behind you before you make it to the kitchen. You turn to see your boyfriend in a similar dishevelled state like you. "It hasn't moved in the night," he says when you approach him, knowing why you so frantically dashed from your room. "Last I checked, Momo, Hwasa, Joshua, and Minghao are trying to come up with a solution for what to do with it. The others are resting either downstairs or outside on the back porch. I think Taehyung is in the garden keeping himself busy."

You hum an okay and slip into the boy's embrace. Seungkwan always seems so warm, making you melt into his figure with ease.

You ask him if he's eaten yet, to which he shakes his head uttering a soft, "No. I can't say I have much of an appetite as of now."

You don't blame him; you feel the same way. With the combination of losing someone from your household and the looming reminder of the murder itself sitting in your front yard, it's hard to be completely comfortable.

Suddenly, a scream echoes through the forest; however, it's not the scream of the Sphere that you all had been anticipating.

You and Seungkwan don't hesitate to make your way past the front door and onto the balcony, mouth agape at what you see.

The Sphere is still resting on the floor, but so is Joshua. The boy is writhing in pain, holding his left elbow coiled over in the dirt.

Taehyung quickly appears from the side of the house with Hoseok following closely behind. "What the hell happened here?" The twin questions, not hesitating to approach his brother.

"We found what appears to be a control panel on the Sphere's back. Joshua tried to open it," Hwasa has her hand covering her mouth, "but something happened and it just fired."

You examine Joshua's form. You didn't realize that Seungkwan had run back inside to get medical supplies, now making his way past you and down the steps. You notice how the boy's arm suddenly ends where his forearm would normally begin. You quickly shut your eyes, feeling the sick rising to your throat again.

"How the _fuck_ could you let this happen?" Taehyung's question seems to be directed at everyone present, offended at the seeming lack of care the others have given to his brother. Though, Minghao, Wheein, and Seungkwan are beginning to tend to Joshua's arm while Hoseok works on easing his pain; the empath's hands are gently resting on the sides of the younger boy's head, thumbs on his temples as he concentrates his calming energy.

"It's not their fault," Joshua manages to spit out, wincing despite Hobi numbing him. "There's something wrong with this Sphere. It won't leave."

The tenseness doesn't leave the yard. Eventually, Joshua manages to return to his feet with his arm swindled in an old towel after being bandaged thoroughly. The normally positive, encouraging boy is undoubtedly downcast for the rest of the evening. Taehyung so badly wants to kick the Sphere still sitting in all of its sickening glory, yet he refrains himself from nearing it.

You make an effort to try to check on Joshua before he retreats to his room upstairs, yet you find yourself floundering with what to say. You can't even imagine the shock and pain he must be experiencing. Despite your poor attempt at consoling him, Joshua reassures you that even your company helps him feel better, giving you a weak smile before he heads up the stairs.

Dinner is uncomfortable. Half of the household doesn't show up at the table, including the absence of the twins. You admittedly don't want to be there either, but you force yourself to eat a small serving having not eaten throughout the day until then.

One by one, the dining area is emptied as members finish their food. Seungkwan places a delicate kiss on the top of your head as he stands, bringing his dish to the sink and then retreating to his shared room with Minghao and Jun where the elder boys are already located.

Soon enough, it's only you and Hoseok remaining. You've long finished your food, now just staring at the potato peel adorning your plate.

"You don't have to wait with me," Hoseok speaks gently from across the table, causing you to lift your gaze.

Shaking your head, you say that it's alright, adding, "Actually, I've been thinking of something but I wasn't sure who I should go to to talk about it."

You catch Hoseok's attention. The empath finishes the last bit of his dish before he gestures for you to stand with him and make your way to his room after depositing your dishes in the kitchen.

The two of you step quietly to reach Hoseok's room, not wanting to disturb anyone else.

"What are the odds that the total count is near a million?" You whisper, not hesitating to begin once the door is closed. You don't want anyone else in the house to overhear what you're about to suggest.

Hoseok hums, thinking, "Probably close if not yet past. Why do you ask?"

You clench your fists. Your brain is trying to work against your plans, yet your heart wins the battle as you say, "I think I have an idea of how to get it to leave."

The empath encourages you to continue.

"I know my number. _That_ Sphere came all this way because it's tracking me."

Despite the eeriness of your words, Hoseok senses the certainty encompassing you.

You're suddenly glad Seungkwan isn't in the room or else you know the boy would interject then and there. Instead, you're met with a furrowed expression on Hoseok's face. Sometimes you wish you could read him as he so easily can read you.

"Are you sure?" The empath says ironically, keeping his voice low.

"Positive," you declare affirmatively. "It was only a matter of time until my number came up."

"But are you really okay with this? With using yourself for our wellbeing? It's not guaranteed how long the rest of us will be around for even without you," Hoseok hides his disbelief that he's going along with what you're suggesting. As an empath, for his whole life thus far he's taken it upon himself to maintain others' comfort. That certainly doesn't include sentencing someone to their death.

You nod, "It's for the team."

•

"Hey (Y/N), may I talk to you for a moment?"

Your beautiful boyfriend placed his hand on your shoulder, thumbing across the spot and breaking your attention from the novel you were reading.

You took solace in having some time alone at night in the living room when the rest of the house was quiet, even if it was simply to read a book that you've read many times before. Normally, you'd have the relaxing crackling of the fire to keep you company, but the warmer weather permitted the fire not necessary. Instead, your coziness adorned you in the form of Seungkwan's sweater that you never let go of.

"Since when do you need to ask for my permission to talk to me?" You lightheartedly responded with a smile reflected on your face at the mere presence of your love. Yet, you only saw the concern Seungkwan wore as you met his gaze.

You promptly put your book down on the couch and carefully carried the candle you were using as a reading light, taking Seungkwan's hand in your other free grasp. He led you to the front door, taking a seat on the porch once you were both situated outside.

"I need to tell you something," he began with a deep inhale, waiting for you to indicate for him to continue, "it's about the survey... the WINTER survey. I never actually took it."

You were surprised. It wasn't common for there to be someone without a number leading them to their end. Yet, here you were, sat next to the boy without a number to his name.

"Wait, Seungkwan, that's great! Isn't it?" Your hold on his hand grew tighter with your enthusiasm.

But the boy didn't share the same joy as you. He gravely spoke, "Not unless you tell me you also didn't fill out the survey."

Your smile faded. Seungkwan noticed instantly and cursed under his breath. That look was enough to tell him that you didn't share the same fate.

"Love, I'm so sorry," you whispered, closing the distance between your bodies as you tightly wrapped your arms around his torso.

"It's not your fault," he whispered back, returning your embrace.

It was in that moment that you realized you wouldn't always have Seungkwan in your life; or rather, that he wouldn't always have you in his.

•

"(Y/N), now is _not_ the time to play the hero," Seungkwan speaks, venom lacing his words despite keeping his volume down.

You didn't plan on Seungkwan finding out about your idea, yet the youngest boy found himself knocking on Hoseok's door after accidentally overhearing you speak. He thought it was insane that you even considered this a plan when it would lead to your inevitable demise.

You counter his words with your own, just as strong, "I'm not _playing_ anything. I'm trying to make that Sphere leave. We've been burdened by it enough. Joshua is lucky that he didn't get hurt even worse, despite how bad his condition already is. I don't want to be responsible for anyone else's potential injuries-"

"What Joshua did was his own fault, not yours, (Y/N). You can't blame yourself for someone else's misfortune-"

"But it _is_ my fault! That Sphere is here because of me. I can't just sit around with the knowledge that I'm able to make it go away-"

"And _I_ can't sit around with the knowledge that you're sacrificing yourself." Seungkwan's face is flushed out of frustration and the fear of losing you.

Meanwhile, poor Hobi is sat on the opposite end of the bed through your argument and trying to get you both to calm down. The empath remembers how Seungkwan refused to be helped by him just the other day, making him hesitant to try again now.

"We both know that it will kill me regardless of my decision here. It's only a matter of when-"

"Don't say that!" Seungkwan stops you. His fists are now clenched and his eyes are shut. "Please," he continues much softer, "please, I don't want to think about that. To think about losing you."

You want to tell him that that's the reality of your situation. You took the survey; he didn't. Your fates were already decided before you even met.

You turn to Hoseok, "I don't want the others to find out about this conversation, okay?"

Seungkwan stops you again before Hoseok can reply, "Are you really disregarding what I'm saying?"

You face your boyfriend again, not hiding your frustration, "You weren't supposed to find out either."

He scoffs, "So what, you were just going to disappear on me one day? Without saying goodbye?"

"Yes. Because I knew that you'd try to prevent me from doing it."

"I'm sorry, but I can't just stand back and watch my _fucking_ girlfriend die in front of me. Not when I can prevent it."

In the time you've known Seungkwan, you can't recall another instance where he swore. Definitely not at you.

You can't bring yourself to counter Seungkwan anymore, instead, facing the empath once again, "Hoseok, I need to ask you something very important."

The brunet awaits your reply.

"Will you be able to hold Seungkwan back for me while I go?"

Hoseok's in a dilemma. On one hand, he wants the Sphere to leave the front yard, therefore helping your plan; however, that means he'll also be going against Seungkwan–someone who he's known for longer than you. Either way, both cases lead to either life-threatening injuries or death.

"Hoseok, don't you dare-"

"I'll do it," the empath meets your determined gaze, "It's for the team."

•

You didn't expect upon your arrival at this cabin last January that your departure would be so soon. Although, here you are, in the front yard where your introductions began that fateful winter day.

Hoseok is dealing with Seungkwan as you carefully step down the stairs leading to the WINTER Sphere laying below. It appears to have woken up from its charging state after Joshua touched it, now glowing its ghostly, cold blue; a stark contrast to the warm glow of the candle by the empath's side on the porch.

When you're within a metre of the Sphere, it luckily doesn't make a sound, but still changes its lighting to a violent red hue.

You take a deep breath and kneel down to the Sphere's level on the cold ground.

"(Y/N), don't do this."

You turn your gaze away from the Sphere and up to your boy. He's rendered completely immobile by Hoseok; the elder boy wears a stern look of concentration as he holds his hands to the side of Seungkwan's head. You've never seen the empath's full ability until now–he really is much more powerful than he lets on.

"Seungkwan, it's okay, really. I love you, so, so much. Never forget that; there won't be a day that I'll stop loving you."

You place your hand on the Sphere.

"(Y/N), please, stop-"

Hoseok manages to close Seungkwan's eyes.

In your final moment, you feel so full of love. It isn't the pain in your chest or the lump in your throat or the wet trails on your cheeks from the tears falling from your eyes.

It's all love.

"Target number 1000000 acquired."

And then you feel nothing at all.

••

_"I like your scarf!"_

_"Oh, t-thank you. I like... your mittens."_

_"Thanks! My name is Chan, by the way."_

•

_"(Y/N)! Come look at what I drew!"_

_"It looks like a weird basketball."_

_"No, no, it's so much cooler than a basketball! And hey, it's not weird! You're weird."_

•

_"I can't believe you came first in the science fair! That's awesome, Channie!"_

_"Well, you better believe it! Look at the ribbon I got! It's such a pretty blue."_

_"Who knew your weird drawings would go so well with the judges."_

_"It wasn't just from my drawings! They liked my explanations behind them too. C'mon, (Y/N)-ie, have a little faith in me."_

•

_"You need to be more careful. One of these days you'll get seriously hurt, Chan."_

_"But I didn't! It's cause I have you around, you know? I think you're my good luck charm or something."_

_"Good luck charm? I don't think a person can be a good luck charm."_

_"Too bad, you're mine. You just make me feel better somehow."_

_"Okay, but what did the doctor say? How long do you have to keep the cast on?"_

_"For a couple of months, tops. I'll be out of it before we go back to school in the fall."_

_"But that means you'll have it on for the rest of the break."_

_"Yeah, it does. Hey, at least I have you to help me with things! Like getting me a glass of water or some ice cream."  
_

_"It's a broken arm, Chan, your legs still work perfectly fine."_

•

_"Do you know what you're going to do after we graduate? It feels unreal that it's so soon."_

_"Actually, about that, I got a letter from Seoul Laboratories. They read my paper about that health-care bot I came up with and are interested in interviewing me-"_

_"No way! You'll be moving to Seoul?"_

_"Maybe. I haven't really decided yet-"_

_"You should, Chan! You're so smart and creative, not to mention persistent and passionate. You'd definitely be what they're looking for."_

_"You really think so?"_

_"I know so."_

•

_"Hey, (Y/N)-ie."_

_"Hey! It's been a while, how are you?"_

_"I'm... I'm really good, actually. The meeting went well, they seemed to really like my ideas. My invention. There's actually a chance it'll be funded soon."_

_"Really? That's crazy! Which one did you go with again? The water one or the circle?"_

_"The circle, well, sphere, actually. WINTER Sphere is the final name I came up with for the pitch. Reminds me a bit of you."_

_"Oh? How so?"_

_"Do you remember the day we first met? It was the first snow of that winter when we were, like, six, and you had this really cool, bright red scarf. You looked really poofy and round all bundled up like that."_

_"Wait,_ that _was your first impression of me, Chan? 'Poofy and round'? Really?"_

_"We were six, (Y/N). Anyways, you complimented my blue mittens too. That red and blue plus your roundness helped inspire the final design, as ridiculous as it sounds. I wanted to create something that'll do good. That also reminds me of you. You're a good person, (Y/N)-ie, you have this... healing property about you, I don't know."_

_"Well, I'm honoured you think so highly of me that you've included me in your design."_

_"Of course I think highly of you, silly. You're my best friend."_

_"And you are mine. Call me again when you have more information about it, okay? And send me a picture of it too!"_

•

_"Did you get the survey I sent?"_

_"Yeah, I skimmed through it but haven't started it yet. I've been busy with exams recently. But I did read an article about your Sphere today. The media seems to really be interested in your potential."_

_"Oh, the interview is published already? I hope it turned out well. I've been under a lot of pressure lately. With all the recent publicity, we've had an unimaginable amount of people volunteer to fill out the surveys already to help us make timely progress. I want it to do well and we've passed all the trials so far. I just really want it to work as I've designed it."_

_"Of course, Chan. I have faith that it will. You know I believe in you."_

•

_"(Y/N)-ie! Guess what?"_

_"What? Did the project finally launch globally?"_

_"Well, yes, that. But I just found out we've surpassed over a million surveys! And you'll never believe who the millionth one belongs to."_

_"Is it someone famous? Or someone that we know?"_

_"I think you know her quite well, it's you, after all, (Y/N). How cool is that? And I didn't even plan it!"_

_"No way, what are the odds?! Shouldn't I get a prize or something?"_

_"Hm... would you accept the prize of me coming to visit you this weekend? I'm permitted some time off to come home since we've made such big a big advancement. It feels like forever since we've last spoken in person."_

_"You know what, that sounds like an amazing prize. I'm happy to be your millionth survey, Channie."_

_"I can't wait to see you soon."_

_"Me too. I've missed you a lot."_

••

Your head is pounding. Your... head? How can it be pounding when you...

"Easy, easy. Lay back down, (Y/N)."

You do as the voice tells you. Wait, that voice sounds oddly familiar. You crane your neck to the side.

"Hoseok?" You manage to croak out.

"Oh good, you do remember. It's nice to see you too," the empath smiles widely so that his dimples show.

"Wait, how? I thought... Didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, but no you didn't," Hoseok responds, met with somehow an even more confused expression from you. "Okay, I'll elaborate. Yes, you did touch the Sphere. It was definitely red and ready to kill, but somehow–I don't know how–you didn't get injured. You just fell back, quite anti-climactically, actually. You were rendered unconscious, though. That was yesterday night." You have difficulty processing the ramblings of your make-shift nurse.

Hoseok hands you a glass of water. After slowly sipping it, you ask him, "What about the Sphere? Is it still there?"

"No. It sprung back to life and managed to fly off again. It's unfortunate for whoever its next target is, but at least you're still alive and well from what I can sense." Hoseok collects the now empty glass from you.

"(Y/N)!"

You don't have the chance to react before you feel a body being flung onto yours.

"Hey, hey, please be careful! She just woke up. She's a bit confused but is well nonetheless," Hoseok scolds the shorter boy who barged into the room upon hearing your voice.

"Hi, love," you whisper, moving your arms to wrap around the boy haphazardly sprawled over you. "I'm okay."

"And I'm not!" Seungkwan dramatically announces, "If you think I'm going to forgive you so easily after you pull a stunt like that, you're greatly mistaken, missy."

You give the boy a pained look, "Could you please lower your voice a little bit? My head still hurts and I don't think loud noises are good for me right now."

"I'm so sorry," Seungkwan buries his face into the crook of your neck, feeling you chuckle beneath him, "please forgive me, (Y/N)-ie."

"I'll leave you two alone for a bit," Hoseok announces, walking to the door, "but no funny business! Don't forget you're in _my_ bed. I know you said you were waiting for Taehyung's bed, so go to his if you must. Just not in mine, please."

You and Seungkwan can't help but laugh once the older male closes the door behind him.

You bring your hand to the side of the boy's face, stroking his cheek gently, "I'm sorry," you say softly but genuinely.

"You know I can't stay mad at you, you're too cute," Seungkwan smiles warmly at you. "Especially when you're all groggy from just waking up," your boyfriend lays his hand over yours, turning his head to press a gentle kiss to your palm.

••

_"I wanted to wait until I'd see you in person so I refrained from telling you earlier over the phone. I found something out from your survey."_

_"Really? Please tell me it's nothing serious."_

_"No, no, you don't have to worry. It's actually regarding a special ability. Your survey shows you have one."_

_"I do? But I've been told by all my doctors over the years that I don't have one."_

_"That must be because it's very rare. You have a type of healing ability. You know how I've always said you make me feel relaxed? That you're my good luck charm?"_

_"Yeah? That's all related?"_

_"Yep! Congratulations, (Y/N)-ie, you're a natural-born healer."_

_"Huh. That's good to know."_

_"Please don't go breaking your arm now to test it."_

••

After enough complaining from you that you can't breathe, Seungkwan finally moves from laying half on you to beside you. Resting on his side, he moves his arm beneath your neck and places his hand on your back, bringing you closer in his embrace. His other arm is draped across your side as he traces delicate circles onto your shirt.

"I love you."

You nuzzle your head close to his chest and hear his heartbeat. You just know that he's healthy, and he has a long, whole life ahead of him.

"I love you too."

And you'll be there with him for the journey. ** _  
_**


End file.
